Coralia

~Chapter Three~

We ride in the car for a while. This moment doesn't feel real. I feel like I am leaving home to go to a school I didn't apply to. That is... exactly what's happening. I don't feel like I should be here. My skin feels uncomfortable. My heart is beating so fast that the silence in the car is making it worse.

"Can someone speak, please? I don't um... can someone just speak?" I ask. Reese looks back at me and nods.

"Well... when we get there you will be checked to see if you brought anything that isn't allowed. There are certain things from Earth that are banned in Setaria. Weapons, cell phones, and anything else that can hurt or expose Setarians. After that, you will be given a Setarian phone. All conversations with outside numbers are monitored, so if you call your friends, be careful of what you say. Then there are some other official things you have to do. When you get all of that done, you will have the rest of the day to look around," he says.

"Are you two going to be there the whole time?" I ask. They look at each other.

"Um... we can show you around the public domains, but we cannot go into the Water Elemental sector without approval," Coal says looking at me in the rear-view mirror.

"Approval? How do you get approval?" I ask.

"We would have to meet with your mom..." Reese says.

"Why? Why can't people just go wherever they want?" I ask.

"All the theories. The Water elementals think that they are going to be attacked so people have to have a good reason to come in. Fire Elementals are on special watch. All of the domains are locked to outsiders. Setaria is huge though. The center of Setaria is open to all Elementals of course. That is where the academy is," Reese says.

"So I have to go to school?" I ask.

"You... can't. All of the people who go to the academy are younger. Kids are taught how to use their powers there. They go there until they are eighteen, like school on Earth. Then they are given the option to keep their powers and stay in Setaria or to give them up and go live on Earth. You will have to learn it on your own."

"Okay... that's not terrifying at all..." I say. They laugh.

"I have a friend who will help you. You'll probably have to do it secretly. And you can't tell anyone you are Queen Hali's daughter. They will either think you're a liar or crazy... or worse..." Reese says.

"I don't understand. Won't I just... go see her?" I ask. Their expressions change to sorrowful ones.

"The only people allowed to see the leaders are their officers and their children. If you went up to the guards and claimed to be her daughter... they would probably assume you were lying to see her and imprison you," Coal says.

"So... when do I get to see her?" I ask, yet another question.

"When the restrictions are lifted I assume. We have no way of telling her that we are back." Reese gives me an apologetic look.

After another thirty minutes of questions, Coal parks in the parking lot of an abandoned supermarket. He drove for almost three hours. I have no idea where we are or if we are even in the same state. We all get out and I pick up the backpack that I brought. I touch my chest to make sure I have my necklace. Reese helps me out and walks away from the car. As I start to follow him, he stops me. I turn back around and watch Coal press a button on his keys. A beam of light floats over the car and consumes it. As the beam travels down the car, the car disappears.

"Woah..." I whisper. Reese chuckles. The car's headlights flash as Coal locks it. It's invisible...

"Be careful not to bump into any other cars..." Coal says putting his keys away. They both laugh. I reach my hand out to the parking spot beside where Coal parked. My hand lands on something that isn't there. This is so trippy.